Plant health requires keeping things in balance
Those who have taken my classes or who read this column often will know that I can get pretty insistent and preachy on performing regular soil testing for your lawn and garden. The reason that I talk about it so much is due to its importance in maintaining both soil health and plant health. In “The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture,” Wendell Berry tells … Continue reading Plant health requires keeping things in balance
Fairs are about improving produce
Every August, thousands of visitors descend upon the small, yet cool, town of Lewisburg for the State Fair of West Virginia (OK, technically the fair is in Fairlea, but close enough). Aromas of fair foods, sounds (and smells) of livestock, lights from the carnival and crowds of fairgoers fill the atmosphere. This scene also plays out in many counties across our great state in the … Continue reading Fairs are about improving produce
Sex and the single squash
In the 1960s, author and future Cosmopolitan magazine Editor Helen Gurley Brown scandalized the country with her book about independent single women called “Sex and the Single Girl.” Not that it is a controversial topic, but this week I would like to turn the tables and take a look at some of the “birds and the bees” activity that goes on in the garden. This … Continue reading Sex and the single squash
Garden miracles or garden myths?
You can believe everything you see on the Internet, right? You can take for gospel every Facebook post, Tweet, Pinterest pin and Instagram photo, correct? It seems like many people get their gardening advice from shared content on the Internet and become unwitting victims of Internet myths. While these gardeners and those who share the false information may do so with the best of intentions, … Continue reading Garden miracles or garden myths?
Plant palace is an easy visit
This time of year is always busy for me. During the middle of July, I find myself hopping around the country attending conferences. This year it just so happens that this past week I found myself hopping from one conference in Columbus, Ohio, to one in Mobile, Alabama, with less than a one-day turnaround. Since I’ve been traveling, I thought it would be good to … Continue reading Plant palace is an easy visit
Keep garden fertility in balance
Here in the middle of the growing season, most plants have been chugging along long enough to show wear and tear and the ravages of their advanced ages. Bug holes are worn like badges of honor in the fight against invading pests. Leaf spots show evidence of continued battles with persistent fungi and bacteria. At this point in the season, lots of calls start coming … Continue reading Keep garden fertility in balance
Pesticides can be safely used in the garden
While gardeners seem to shrivel up and shrink away from garden duties during the heat and humidity of summer, the garden thrives as the heat and moisture ramp up all the plant processes necessary for growth, flowering, and fruiting. But the garden plants aren’t the only thing that thrive in the heat and humidity. Sweltering summers also set the right conditions for a number of … Continue reading Pesticides can be safely used in the garden
Escape summer by thinking fall
It seems as though the sweltering heat of summer has come early to suppress us all in a lazy, hazy fog. I know I certainly avoid being outside as much as I can when the thermometer tops 90 degrees. Merely sitting — even in the shade — can leave you a sticky, sweaty mess. There’s one way to beat the sultry summer blues, though. Think … Continue reading Escape summer by thinking fall
Forbidden fruits? Gooseberries, currants get a bad rap
People of a certain age may have fond memories of puckering up after eating a tart gooseberry, freshly harvested from the bush. These days, gooseberries are a rarity, thanks to some restrictions — and myths about restrictions — about growing them all over the state of West Virginia. In fact, I mentioned writing about gooseberries this week to some 20-somethings in my office, only to … Continue reading Forbidden fruits? Gooseberries, currants get a bad rap
Plan ahead to preserve the harvest
Eating fresh produce from the garden is truly one of the pleasures of the season. Fresh salads, tomatoes, peppers and onions highlight the summer table. I can still remember the first big Sunday dinner of the summer at my grandparents’ house — a table full of nothing but corn on the cob, green beans cooked with new potatoes (with, of course, some form of pork), … Continue reading Plan ahead to preserve the harvest
BearlyGrowing 